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FOWLS ebulletin, Issue 3,  September 2013
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LATEST NEWS

WLS Brochures Translated


An important pamphlet which includes information about WLS NSW and the range of matters WLS will provide legal advice on has been translated into ten community languages.

The brochures have been translated into Arabic, Dari , Dinka, Farsi, Filipino (Tagalog), Hindi, Kirundi, Mandarin, Tamil and Vietnamese and include telephone advice contact numbers.

Click here for more information.

"Zoe’s Law" Bill Threat to Women's Rights

“Zoe’s Law” is a proposal to create a new offence of grievous bodily harm to a foetus.

If passed, the new law would mean that if someone caused the destruction or harm to a foetus they would be charged with grievous bodily harm to the foetus, instead of being charged with grievous bodily harm to the pregnant woman. The new offence would apply to a foetus of at least 20 weeks’ gestation

WLS is extremely concerned about the harm done to women including their foetuses, particularly in situations of domestic violence. However, WLS does not consider the new law is necessary or appropriate. The injury must always be interpreted as an injury to the pregnant woman.

WLS  is particularly concerned that the creation of this offence could mean unwanted and invasive scrutiny of individual women who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or foetal harm as a result of a criminal act.

Even though there is currently an exemption in the definition of “grievous bodily harm” in the Crimes Act 1900 for medical procedures that result in the destruction of a foetus, WLS is concerned that giving personhood status to a foetus may affect the lawfulness and accessibility of abortion in NSW, particularly for procedures carried out later in a pregnancy. 

Reproductive rights are essential human rights that are confirmed in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. WLS is opposed to legislative change which elevates the impact of any action on a foetus over the rights of the woman.

Click here for further information

See the WLS submission to the review of laws surrounding criminal incidents involving the death of an unborn child undertaken by Michael Campbell in 2010.  In that submission WLS outlined how the provisions of the Crimes Act 1900 were sufficient to respond appropriately to all criminal incidents involving the destruction of a foetus.

What can you do?

Write to the Attorney General and to your local member directly or use the CLCNSW email template.

Brain Food 


Our new recommended reading section will give you some food for thought!

Our first book is Anne Summers new work The Misogyny Factor, which asks why Australian women still don't have freedom from violence, financial independence or the ability to control their fertility. 

The Misogyny Factor explains how women have been excluded from full and equal participation in Australian economic and public life and claims that despite the promise of equality, Australian women have still not achieved it. Not by a long way.
Your Invitation to the Next Foundation Event

After a couple of very successful events we are now inviting all Foundation members to attend our Annual General Meeting.
This event will be held at our offices in Lidcombe and will also  include a showcase of our current work and a buffet dinner.
This event is free of charge.
 
Date: Wednesday 20 November
Time: 4.00pm - 7.00pm

Click Here to RSVP

Support the Foundation via GiveNow.com.au

Women's Legal Services NSW exists to provide a voice for women in NSW and to promote access to justice, through the provision of legal services, law reform and community legal education, particularly for women who are disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances. The Foundation has been established to support the work of WLS NSW in areas where we can not rely on public funding for our daring endeavors, and experimental aspirations.

A year after launching the Foundation at our thirtieth anniversary dinner, we are now fundraising in earnest using a 'Give Now' account to manage online donations.

We urge you to support our work either through a regular monthly donation or a one off gift.
 
​Please visit the WLS NSW Give Now page for more information. 
 

Afternoon Tea with Professor Gillian Triggs
Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission was the guest speaker at the WLS Foundation Afternoon Tea event on 30 August 2013 at the offices of Gilbert + Tobin.

Professor Triggs addressed the Foundation guests in a broad ranging and engaging presentation on ‘Using international human rights instruments to advocate for women’s rights in Australia’.

Professor Triggs reminded us of the history of the development of human rights instruments and the important leadership role played by Australia in post war international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Although we have come a long way in raising the profile of human rights in Australia we still have a long way to go. Australia only acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2008. The gender pay gap in Australia is still 17.5%, a signal of much more work to be done.

That we have to exhaust domestic remedies before instigating some international law processes can be an impediment, however the United Nations Special Rapporteur role can be used to raise awareness of domestic issues. Women’s Legal Services NSW recently did this in taking the lead in making a complaint to the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women about the winding back of the victims compensation scheme in NSW this year, where we lost an important reparations mechanism.


Further information:

Mechanisms for advancing women’s human rights: A guide to using the Optional Protocol to CEDAW and other international complaint mechanisms, Australian Human Rights Commission, 2011

For detailed summaries and analysis of the work of the CEDAW Committee under the Optional Protocol to CEDAW, see the Optional Protocol to CEDAW blog maintained by Simone Cusack.

List of all the United Nations Special Rapporteurs

Triggs, G: International Law: Contemporary Principles and Practices (2nd ed) (2010). 
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